Proverbs 1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.a ²Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. ³Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.b

⁴These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. ⁵Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidancec ⁶by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.d

⁷Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.e

Do not go with them

⁸My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.f ⁹What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. ¹⁰My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!g

¹¹They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! ¹²Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. ¹³Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.

¹⁴Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” ¹⁵My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.h ¹⁶They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.

¹⁷If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. ¹⁸But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. ¹⁹Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.

Wisdom cries out in the street

²⁰Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. ²¹She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: ²²“How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?

²³Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.i ²⁴“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.j ²⁵You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered.

²⁶So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—k ²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you. ²⁸“When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.l

²⁹For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. ³⁰They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. ³¹Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.m

³²For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. ³³But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”n